Lifestyle

Furball benefit raises money for Central Florida SPCA

The SPCA of Central Florida’s 19th Annual FurBall took place in early May at SeaWorld Orlando. With a “Vegas, Baby!” theme, this year’s event was rich with raffles, silent and live auctions, food, and drink.

Hundreds of items comprised the Silent Auction—everything from personal services and vacation get-aways, to original art and fabulous pet products. After the Silent Auction, the SPCA showed a very heartwarming video of a mother dog that lost her life giving birth to nine puppies. The staff and volunteers of the SPCA nursed those puppies through their most difficult time and successfully adopted them to caring families. At the end of the video, many of the dogs and their adoptive families emerged on stage to a round of applause and standing ovation.

Then came the Live Auction. Everyone joined in the fun as the “high-rollers” bid big bucks on items such as a Clear Channel billboard in Orlando for six months to display a pet photo, and the opportunity to have a pet’s picture on the cover of the 2011 SPCA of Central Florida Calendar. Attendees showed an enormous amount of financial support for the cause.

SeaWorld then opened the Seaport Theatre for a private viewing of Pets Ahoy, a spectacular show involving dogs, cats, birds, rats, skunk, and potbellied pig. From the cats walking on high wires above the audience’s heads to the dogs performing an array of comedic skits, the pets and trainers of Pet’s Ahoy delivered a remarkable show. Most of the furry and feathered celebrities were rescued from animal shelters before becoming famous at SeaWorld.